It's Your World

PART II: SELECTING THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR YOU

Housing Options

How to Research Study Abroad Opportunities

ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

Approximately 72% of U.S. undergraduates who end up studying abroad enroll in a study abroad program specially organized for students like them. The sponsor may be a U.S. college or university (the student's own, another, or a consortium) with which it has reached an agreement. Or the sponsor could be a domestic organization other than a college or university, or an overseas university or organization, often as part of its program for other international students. However, depending on your own institution's policies with regard to transfer credit from other domestic or overseas institutions, a host of other options may exist for you. The below list moves from options centered in your own institution to options more centered in overseas institutions.

Enroll in a Program Designed and Overseen by U.S. Colleges or Universities for American Students
The most popular choices of study abroad programs include those sponsored by a student's own institution, by another U.S. college or university, or by a consortium, or group, of U.S. colleges or universities. Such arrangements make possible hundreds of academic year, semester, quarter, and vacation study program opportunities.

Programs sponsored by U.S. colleges allow students to study in a foreign environment while remaining within an U.S. academic framework. Even if the actual course work is taken at a foreign university, academic credit is arranged through the sponsoring U.S. institution. In many cases, special courses in the language and culture of the host country are offered, and the language requirements may be relaxed. The sponsoring college usually also makes housing and round-trip travel arrangements for students, and may arrange cultural excursions.

Programs offered by U.S. institutions basically fall into two main categories, though many variations exist within each:

-The "island" program: All courses are arranged for a group of U.S. students and taught by home campus faculty members familiar with the host culture or by foreign faculty hired by the U.S. school. Costs are often about the same as study on the home campus, and financial aid that you receive from your institution or from the government can typically be used. Some of these programs offer intensive language study for language majors. Generally, though, these programs are taught in English, except for foreign language classes, which are taught in the language studied. This is a good option for students who don't speak the local language. It may also be a good choice if this will be your first time overseas. Be aware, however, that no overseas program can provide academic and social services identical to what you are accustomed to at home.

-Hybrid Programs: Study in a foreign institution, combined with courses arranged for the group by the sponsoring U.S. institution: These programs generally require some knowledge of the host country language. Nonetheless, special university courses for U.S. or other foreign students usually have less demanding language requirements than regular university courses. And some programs offer a choice of foreign institutions, depending on the level of the student's language skills. One benefit of this type of program is that it lets you study at a foreign institution while meeting requirements for your U.S. degree. Many of these programs also offer academic support services similar to those found on a U.S. campus.

Enroll in A Program Sponsored by an Organization Other than a U.S. College or University
Some not-for-profit and for-profit organizations in the U.S. and overseas also sponsor study abroad programs. Of these, some have agreements with colleges and universities allowing students to be registered on their home campuses. Others indicate that academic credit is available or transferable, but students must arrange or verify the credit themselves. If you are considering one of these programs, be sure to investigate your school's credit transfer policy, as well as the policy of the program you are considering.

Enroll in a Program for International Students at a Foreign University
Some universities abroad offer language and culture programs to foreigners. These enable U.S. students (considered 'international students' while overseas) to interact with students from several other countries. Some programs sponsored by foreign universities are especially designed to meet the needs of English-speaking students, with courses offered in English as well as the host country language. In addition, in the 1990s, as academic mobility and exchange in Europe increased, a number of English-language programs were designed for students from other countries. Some of these are available to U.S. students as well.

If you want to enroll in this kind of program, be sure to discuss credit transfer with your advisor. In some cases, foreign schools arrange to transfer credit through an accredited U.S. college. But credit doesn't transfer automatically from foreign universities, and in some cases is not transferable.

Enroll in A Foreign University Via a U.S. College or University
It is also possible to enroll in foreign universities directly by applying through U.S. programs set-up for this purpose -- e.g., Arcadia University's Center for Study Abroad or Butler University's Institute for Study Abroad. This intermediation can solve the credit transfer problem, as the overseas course work is placed on an American college transcript. Such a process can increase overall costs, but, in return, may also provide orientation, accommodations, excursions, and on-site support services not otherwise available to occasional or special students.

Enroll Directly in a Foreign University As a 'Special' Student
Many universities around the world are open to students from other countries who qualify for admission as 'special' or occasional students. This is similar to taking regular classes in the United States as a non-admitted or part-time student. Credit does not transfer automatically from foreign universities and in some cases is not transferable. Taking classes taught by foreign teachers, alongside students from the host country, can be very exciting and challenging. But it requires an extra measure of enterprise and resourcefulness on your part, since it's up to you to make the arrangements and do the course work without support services from an U.S. institution. You also must be fluent in the language of instruction to consider this option. And there can be difficulty with credit transfer as well with the transferability of your U.S. financial assistance.

In many foreign countries, students can receive a secondary school education that is more advanced and intensive than what U.S. high school's or preparatory academies offer, with students graduating at the age of 19 or older, then sometimes waiting another year or so before beginning their university education. These students may have the same academic preparation as an American student who has completed two or more years of college. For this reason, even foreign universities that accept American undergraduates into degree programs may do so only after they have completed their sophomore year.

If you are interested in this option, addresses of most foreign institutions can be found in World of Learning or the International Handbook of Universities, reference directories on higher education worldwide that can be found in many U.S. college and university libraries. To ensure a response, enclose an International Reply coupon (available from any Post Office) with your inquiry. An easier way to find out whether you should even consider applying for admission to an overseas institution is to do a Web-search and pursue your interest through foreign university Web pages. Again, your study abroad advisor may also provide guidance.

Other Study Abroad Opportunities
There are yet additional options for acquiring overseas education. You can:

-Attend a branch campus of a U.S. college or international university abroad.

-Set up an Independent project to be carried out overseas. Some, but certainly not all, U.S. colleges and universities offer independent study arrangements in which qualified students carry out pre-approved research or in-depth study projects in a selected field or on a special topic. It is your responsibility to complete the study or conduct the research, typically evaluated by a faculty advisor when you return home.

-Pursue course work, language learning, research, or an internship overseas after graduation, with no expectation of credit, but increasing your credentials and career pursuits.

Housing Options

Your living situation will have a significant impact on your study abroad experience. Housing can be as grand as a manor house, as rugged as a tent in a rain forest, or as standard-issue as a university residence hall.

Many study abroad programs provide student housing. Some arrange home-stays, in which you live with a local family. Others provide housing in dormitories or apartments, where your roommates could be students from the host country, from other foreign countries, or from the United States. For short-term programs or those that require extensive travel, students may be housed in hotels, pensions, or student hostels.

Some programs offer a choice of housing arrangements. In most cases, however, the choices are few, as student housing is difficult to find almost everywhere. Dormitory space is often so limited that many foreign universities have strict quotas for the number of rooms allotted to international students.

Be sure to find out whether programs you are interested in arrange housing for participants; not all do. If it's up to you to find your own housing, ask if the sponsoring institution will assist you. Request an estimate of costs for accommodations, food, travel and essential living expenses.

Living in Dorms or Apartments
Most students live in dorms or apartments while studying abroad. Some single rooms may be available, but two or more students to a dorm or apartment are more common. Depending on the program you select, you may have a choice of the nationality of students you room with.

Living with other U.S. students:
Surrounded by experiences that are new, some U.S. students are most comfortable living with students from their own country. However, if cultural immersion, cross-cultural learning, and/or an intensive experience of the host culture are high on your list of goals, you may wish to live with students from the host country.

Living with students from the host country or other foreign countries:
You may opt for this if you consider your living situation to be part of your overseas learning experience. If you want to live with local students, be aware that, in some countries, local students live in dorms only for their first year, then move to apartments.

Many universities abroad put all foreign students--including those from the U.S.--in a special dorm for foreigners. While, you are unlikely to meet host country students in these dorms, you will be surrounded by other students sharing the experience of being new to a country.

Home-stays
Home-stays usually provide the greatest immersion in the host language and culture, giving you the opportunity to experience how local people really live. This is especially true if you live with a family that treats you like one of the family, getting to know you and offering help if you need it.

In some cases, however, the host is simply someone with an extra room to rent out, and your relationship is strictly that of landlord/tenant, with little or no social interaction.

In many cases, you will not know the name or address of your home-stay until you arrive at the program. This is a major difference between college-level study abroad programs and high school exchanges.

Smoking is far more common--and accepted--abroad than in the U.S. If a nonsmoking environment is important to you, find out if anyone smokes in home-stays you are considering, or ask for a nonsmoking roommate in dorms and apartments. But be prepared to learn to live in an environment where people smoke.

If you are a Vegetarian or Vegan, or if you have other special dietary needs, check to see if these can be accommodated. Vegetarian menus are not common outside of the United States, especially in Europe. If you are living with a host family, it may be perceived as rude for you to refuse the meals they serve.

In many cases, it may be a hardship for the family to provide separate meals for you. Please be clear about your needs before the program places you in a home-stay situation as it may not always be possible to accommodate your special requests. And be prepared to compromise with regard to your dietary choices. Remember, you are the guest. You may also have to bear the extra costs of special meals yourself.

Housing Specifics
Get as much information as possible about housing. This can help you decide whether a program is for you, or at least prepare you for what to expect.

For programs in any country, ask:
-What kind of furnishings does a dorm or apartment have?
-Is there a desk or table for you to work at?
-Is the kitchen equipped with cooking utensils?
-Does a dorm provide sheets, blankets, pillows etc.?
-If not, Is there a service available to rent linens?
-Are there laundry facilities?
-If so, are these automatic washers or laundry tubs?
-Is there a limit on how often you can use them?
-What is the cost?
-Will you have access to a phone in your residence?

If you're planning to study in a developing country, ask your program representative:
-Is there drinking water available?
-Is there hot water for showers?
-Is electricity always available?

Last, remember to confirm all housing arrangements well ahead of your departure.

How to Research Study-Abroad Opportunities

Once you've considered fully what kind of program is right for you, you're ready to research what's available to fit your complex needs and interests, resources, and time. Most students begin by investigating those programs directly sponsored by their own campus. Some schools indeed limit their students to their own programs, providing information only about these programs (and, sometimes, affiliated programs) and erecting a host of academic and/or economic disincentives meant to discourage students from participating in programs sponsored by other institutions. Others have lists of programs pre-approved for transfer of credit, which may or may not qualify for institutional financial aid. Yet others have an open policy, allowing students to choose from the hundreds and hundreds of available programs which are open to any qualified student. If your school doesn't sponsor study abroad programs (or doesn't offer the 'right' program for you) or you want to look beyond your home campus course offerings, there is a wealth of information available today, from many different sources, on programs of all types.

Campus Advisors
If your school has a study abroad office, talk to a study abroad advisor about how and where to research programs. If your campus does not have a study abroad office, ask your academic advisor for help in researching your options. He or she may be knowledgeable about international study, or may be able to refer you to faculty members who are. You should also talk to your school registrar or someone in the admissions office about your school's policies on study abroad, especially if you are considering a program that is not sponsored by your school. Also, if you'd like credit in your major for study abroad, be sure to see an advisor in your major department.

Campus Study Abroad Library
Many U.S. colleges and universities have a study abroad library, or a section of the college library that is devoted to study abroad. A good study abroad library will have reference books containing thousands of listings of study abroad programs, as well as catalogs of study abroad programs from other U.S. institutions, and foreign university catalogs -- the best reference guide is Academic Year Abroad and Short Term Study Abroad, published by the Institute of International Education. Ask an advisor if there are brochures for individual programs, or videos, slides, CD-Roms, or photos of programs and program sites. Your campus study abroad library may also carry the magazine Transitions Abroad, with articles about study, work, and travel abroad written by recently returned student participants (also see the magazine's website, www.transitionsabroad.com). In addition, many study abroad libraries have written evaluations of programs from recent participants. This kind of unbiased first-hand information usually cannot be found elsewhere.

Searching The Internet, the World Wide Web, and Education Databases
In recent years access to information of all sorts on international education, via new telecommunications technologies, has burgeoned. No longer are you limited to what your particular campus has on its library shelves or what you can write for to be sent to you. Volumes of valuable information on nearly every aspect of study abroad is now immediate from any personal computer or campus network. Using this technology to find Web-pages, you can gather information on hundreds of programs and foreign universities; on financial aid: scholarships, fellowships, and grants specifically geared to study abroad; on internships and volunteer opportunities; on international travel; on particular countries or specific fields; on getting your passport and visa requirements; on health and safety conditions; and on international currency exchange rates and banking. Information alone will not be sufficient, so it should be gathered, studied, and discussed with your campus advisors and fellow students. A few of the best sites to start with are:

www.IIEpassport.org, Institute of International Education; includes IIE's books Academic Year Abroad and Short Term Study Abroad, in database format, as well as scholarship information.

www.Studyabroad.com, providing online directories of programs and destination information plus links to leading providers.

www.nafsa.org/secussa, (click on "Internet Resources") the site of NAFSA: Association of International Educators; has links to the best websites for study, work and travel abroad.

Talking With Returned Students
If you are interested in a particular program, talking to students who have recently taken part in it is often the best way to find out what it's really like. Be aware, however, that no two students on the same program ever have precisely the same experience or response, and you may have different goals and interests. You might ask: Did the course load leave time for socializing or traveling? Is an ability to get along with others essential on this program? Is the optional safari -- or scuba diving expedition or trek to see ancient ruins -- worth the extra time and money? And the like. Your campus may organize group sessions with these students, or give you contact information for them so you can talk to them individually.

If it's not possible to talk to students who've been on programs that interest you, talking to students who have taken part in any study abroad program will be useful, since you'll hear about what it's like to live and study in a foreign country. Many campuses use returned study abroad students as 'peer counselors.' If yours does, make sure you tap into their seasoned perspectives. Of course, it's best if you can find students who studied in the country or region you're considering. If you're considering studying abroad through a program not sponsored by your school, ask the program for telephone numbers or e-mail addresses of students who have attended that program. These may be carefully selected individuals. Still, be wary of a program that refuses to let you contact previous participants.

Talking with program representatives can provide invaluable insight and information which is direct and personalized. Many campuses arrange for occasional campus visits by such people. Some also set up annual Study Abroad Fairs, at which representatives from many different study abroad programs, as well as from organizations sponsoring internships and voluntary work programs, are present throughout a given day or evening, to talk with interested students. There may also be students present who have participated in particular programs. If such opportunities present themselves (on your own or a nearby campus), you should definitely take advantage of being able to collect current materials, ask questions, and gain insights from persons who know their program from direct experience.

Even the best reference book or catalog has only general information about programs, and brochures may focus more on the local attractions and nightlife than on academics. After you've identified programs that interest you, check the programs' websites, e-mail, call or write the sponsoring institutions for detailed information and application forms. And it's always best to call a program and speak with its advisors to discuss questions that remain unclear after you've read program booklets. Many programs, especially larger and more established ones, allow the 800 number or e-mail address to be used for the purpose of providing you with additional information, answering your and your parent's questions on a one-to-one basis -- and, when you are ready, taking an application.

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